Voice of the People: Sacramento Bee

As of April 14, there have been five Letters to the Editor regarding Aaron Klein and Jerry Simmons. Four of them call for Klein's apology and/or resignation.

Placer conservative agenda
Published Friday, April 14, 2006

Re "GOP jousts in Placer contest," April 4: It is clear to anyone who follows Placer County politics, candidates Jerry Simmons, 2nd District supervisor, and Ted Gaines, 4th District Assembly candidate, are two candidates who have been strategically and financially positioned by Rep. John Doolittle.

Through the precise direction of Doolittle, these two men will wage a dishonest and hateful campaign in an effort to crush their opposition. Look what Simmons and his co-conspirator Aaron Klein accomplished as members of the Sierra Joint Community College District board? They manipulated the truth to force Sierra College President Kevin Ramirez to resign.

Don't be fooled by these conservatives. They have their own agenda and unfortunately it does nothing to benefit their constituents.
- Larry S. DuBois, Loomis


Playing politics at Sierra College
Re "Grand jury: Sierra trustee sowed chaos," March 24: The grand jury found that Aaron Klein's public accusation of Sierra College President Kevin Ramirez was "utterly without merit." Klein and Scott Leslie ran for positions on the Sierra College board so they could begin their political careers. Klein, in particular, moved to be able to run for the board. Klein sullied the good name and reputation of Ramirez.
Klein's malicious acts have cost Sierra College Ramirez's retirement settlement of $464,950, $54,750 for a national search for a new president and an additional $42,000 per year that is the difference between Ramirez's old salary and what Sierra must now pay his replacement. Klein, Leslie and President Jerry Simmons have cost Sierra College more than $519,000 in one-time costs and an annual additional cost of $42,000.

At the very least Klein, Leslie and Simmons should resign from the board.
- George Rose, Rocklin


Hypocrisy in Sierra board actions
Published Saturday, April 1, 2006

Sierra College Trustee Aaron Klein accused then-President Kevin Ramirez of laundering political contributions through the Sierra College Foundation based on knowledge of an FPPC ruling at "another community college" that was fined for what he claimed were identical violations. Chairman Jerry Simmons claimed a conversation he overheard in a men's bathroom confirmed Klein's charges. They were wrong. The grand jury investigation found the charges "utterly without merit."
Foothill-De Anza Community College was the college Klein cited that was fined by the FPPC. The chancellor of Foothill-De Anza when those violations took place was Leo Chavez, recently enthusiastically endorsed as the new president of Sierra College.

How could these two vilify one president, then turn around and replace him with someone who, according to them, was in charge while the same alleged campaign-filing violations were occurring in his district?

The community deserves better than these two irresponsible hypocrites.
- Leslie Carroll, Davis


Grand jury's verdict
Published Saturday, April 1, 2006

Re "Grand jury: Sierra trustee sowed chaos," March 24: The Placer County grand jury did an enormous public service by looking into the complaint filed against the former president of Sierra College, Kevin Ramirez.
The report states: "The charges are unfounded, misleading and full of unsubstantiated allegation. The charges are utterly without merit." The complainant, Aaron Klein, should be held accountable for his gross error and asked to resign from the Sierra College Board of Trustees.

In addition, the Sierra College Board of Trustees should complete all of the grand jury's recommendations, but in particular, recommendations three and four that read: "3. As a significant healing step for the college community, the board should acknowledge in some tangible way the contributions of the former President's tenure. 4. Complainant should apologize to the college community and the public at large for filing charges, which the grand jury has proved to have no merit."

All of the recommendations of the Placer grand jury are a positive means for the Sierra College district to recover from the harm caused by an immature board member, but recommendations three and four are critical for the college community to have a complete recovery.

- Kathie Read, Roseville

Politics in grand jury report
Published Saturday, April 1, 2006

We were surprised The Bee printed the comments of the Placer County grand jury that viciously denigrated a public servant when in fact it is the grand jury that should apologize for its blatant incompetence.
How can the grand jury accuse Sierra College Trustee Aaron Klein of not having dug deep enough to uncover the facts, when the jury has taken more than a year to understand the basic essence of the matter?

Meanwhile, everyone already admitted the law was broken. The former president was ousted and, along with his attorneys, negotiated a very comfortable severance, including strict "gag" orders to keep the college, Klein and other trustees from discussing the case in public.

It appears that the gag order has been broken in order to "promote" Kevin Ramirez, who appears to have friends on the grand jury and at The Bee.

Klein was the one person doing his job and was representing the voters in a highly ethical and intelligent manner.

- Steve and Paula Ricketts, Meadow Vista